RIIQUA601D
Establish and maintain a quality system


Application

This unit describes a participant’s skills and knowledge required to establish and maintain a quality system within the Resources and Infrastructure Industries.

This unit is appropriate for those working in management roles.

No licensing or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.


Elements and Performance Criteria

Elements

Performance Criteria

1 Establish and maintain the framework for the quality system

1.1Access, interpret and apply quality system documentation and ensure the work activity is compliant

1.2 Develop, document and have approved business plans that include a quality system

1.3 Include quality system responsibilities in job descriptions and duty statements

1.4 Identify, source and provide resources for the operation of the quality system in a timely and consistent manner

1.5 Provide quality system information in a clear format in a readily accessible location for others

2 Establish a collaborative process

2.1 Establish and maintain collaboration and consultation processes

2.2 Resolve issues raised, promptly and appropriately

2.3 Communicate outcomes to others verbally and in writing

3 Establish and maintain procedures for identifying and assessing quality issues

3.1 Identify existing and potential quality issues and trends from quality statistics and records

3.2 Establish procedures for identification of existing/potential quality issues

3.3 Monitor changes to the workplace to determine if additions or modifications to the quality system are required

4 Design procedures for treatment of quality issues

4.1 Establish procedures to treat quality issues and trends to ensure compliance

4.2 Establish procedures for applying interim solutions when measures to treat quality issues at their source are not practicable

4.3 Establish procedures for ongoing treatment of the quality system

4.4 Monitor quality activities throughout the organisation, identify inadequacies and provide resources to implement appropriate quality measures

4.5 Establish training programs that meet quality system training requirements as part of the organisation's general training program

5 Evaluate the organisation's quality system

5.1 Evaluate the effectiveness of the quality system within the goals and objectives of existing organisational boundaries

5.2 Recommend appropriate improvements to the quality system

5.3 Evaluate compliance with legislation and code of practice

Evidence of Performance

Evidence is required to be collected that demonstrates a candidate’s competency in this unit. Evidence must be relevant to the roles within this sector’s work operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria of this unit and include evidence that the candidate:

locates and applies relevant legislation, documentation, policies and procedures

works effectively with others to undertake and complete effective establishment and maintenance of a quality system to meet all required outcomes including:

preparing for and organising work activities to meet all task requirements

communicating clearly and concisely with others to receive and clarify work instructions

using a range of communication techniques and aids to advise others of work activity and exclusion zones

demonstrates completion of the establishment and maintenance of a quality system that safely, effectively and efficiently meets all of the required outcomes on more than one (1) occasion including:

identifying quality responsibilities in job descriptions

identifying and clearly communicating standards for quality management systems

developing and implementing procedures for quality management

monitoring quality activity, identify areas for improvement and implement changes for continuous improvement

evaluating and documenting the effectiveness of the quality system

evaluating compliance of the quality system


Evidence of Knowledge

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of establishing and maintaining a quality system through:

accessing, interpreting and applying the organisation and site requirements and procedures

apply quality system principles and practice

determining Industry quality benchmarks

information collection and review techniques

locating and applying the continuous improvement principles

complying with human resource policies and practices

utilising risk management, principles, strategies and applications

implementing customer/client relations techniques

interpreting statistics and report metrics

applying organisational change and development processes


Assessment Conditions

An assessor of this unit must satisfy the requirements of the NVR/AQTF or their successors; and Industry regulations for certification and licensing; and,

this unit is best assessed in the context of this sector’s work environment; and,

outcomes of this unit that occur in an office-based setting may be assessed in a simulated environment provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of this sector’s workplace performance, including environment, task skills, task management skills, contingency management skills and job role environment skills; and,

this unit must be assessed in compliance with relevant legislation/regulation and using policies, procedures, processes and operational manuals directly related to the industry sector for which it is being assessed; and,

assessment may be conducted in conjunction with the assessment of other Units of Competency; and,

assessment must confirm consistent performance can be applied in a range of relevant workplace circumstances; and,

assessors must demonstrate the performance evidence, and knowledge evidence as outlined in this Unit of Competency, and through the minimum years of current* work experience specified below in an Industry sector relevant to the outcomes of the unit; or,

where the assessor does not meet experience requirements a co-assessment or partnership arrangement must exist between the qualified assessor and an Industry subject matter expert. The Industry subject matter expert should hold the unit being assessed (or an equivalent unit) and/or demonstrate equivalence of skills and knowledge at the unit level. An Industry technical expert must also demonstrate skills and knowledge from the minimum years of current work experience specified below in the Industry sector, including time spent in roles related to the unit being assessed; and,

assessor and Industry subject matter expert requirements differ depending on the Australian Qualifications Framework Level (AQF) of the qualification being assessed and/or Industry Sector as follows:

Industry sector

AQF** Level

Required assessor or Industry subject matter expert experience

Drilling, Metalliferous Mining, Coal Mining, Extractive (Quarrying) and Civil Construction

1

1 Year

2

2 Years

Drilling, Coal Mining and Extractive (Quarrying)

3-6

3 Years

Metalliferous Mining and Civil Construction

3-6

5 Years

Other sectors

Where this Unit is being assessed outside of the Resources and Infrastructure Sectors assessor and/or Industry subject matter expert experience should be in-line with industry standards for the sector in which it is being assessed and where no Industry standard is specified should comply with any relevant regulation.

*Assessors can demonstrate current work experience through employment within Industry in a role relevant to the outcomes of the Unit; or, for external assessors this can be demonstrated through exposure to Industry by conducting frequent site assessments across various locations.

**Where a unit is being delivered outside of a Qualification the first numeric character in the Unit code should be considered to indicate the AQF level


Foundation Skills

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit. Further information is available in the Resources and Infrastructure Industry Training Package Companion Volume.